Liquid-level indicator



May 24 1927.

E. V. RIPPINGILLE LIQUID LEVEL INDICATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 JrwmibWfiRDVRIPP/NQILLE,

Original Filed Nov. 8, 1925 May 1927' E. v. RIPPINGILLE LIQUID LEVELINDIICATOR Original Filed Nov. a. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet VRIPP/nymu; r

Arron/(Ev:

EDWARD Patented May 24, 1927.

1,530,029 UNITED STATES, PATENT OFFICE.-

EDWARD V. RIPPINGILLE, F

UFACTURING COMPANY,

DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE GBOLAN MAN- 0F DAYTON, OHIO, ACORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

LIQUID-LEVEL INDICATOR.

Original application filed November 8, 1923, Serial No. 673,403. Dividedand this application filed June 16, 1924. Serial No. 720,178..

.My invention relates to particular to gauges for. measuring the heightsof liquids in tanks remotely located from the point of indication, andis a division of my application filed Nov. 8, 1923, Ser. No. 673,403. ai

The object of my invention is to provide a quick and'certain means ofaccurately connecting the indicator head and actuating bility of thecommunicating means being damaged.

It is a further object to. provide such means of attachment that anyunskilled or relatively skilled laborer mav make the at tachment withoutthe possibility of injury to 1 the delicate communicating means oraccess to it for purposely tampering therewith.

It is my object to provides. simple adj ustment of this character whichwill also permit of the person installing the equipment to as certainwhether or not the float is on the bottom of the tank, and therefore inzeroposition, before the indicatoris connected which also at the time ofconnection indicates zero, so that theindicatoi when connected willaccurately indicate the height of the liquid in the tank or the factthat there is no liquid in the tank. As a matter of precaution, it isnecessary to ascertain if the wire constitut ingthe communicating means.is moving freely and that the float is on the bottom of the tank in zeroposition. My present invention accomplishes this object and also theobject of preventing any injury at any time Itojthe delicatecommunicating means.

My invention also provides means of ready assemblyof the indicator headand also permits of the use of subassemblics which may be economicallymade by unskilled labor in the factory in. order toeflect the necessaryeconomies in the production of such ap: paratusr I It has been found ininstalling gauges of this character that if the flexible communieatingmeans, such as a fine wire, is allowed to project. from its housing whendisconnected from the indicator head it becomes bent or twisted and theordinary laborer installing the equipment on the automobile will nottake the trouble or has notthe skill to straighten the wire and attachit to the indicator head. To solve this condition, I have developed thepresent invention in orgauges, and in I j the actuating means to oneanother wlthout the possi-,

tank plate,

der that on the assembly line of automoblle where the laborer must makea quick but accurate application all that is necessary by 'my lnvention1s to sllde the guidertube into the split collar of the indicator head.until end of the indicator rack with the float in the tank on thebottom of the tank and the indicator dial registering zero. By a turn ofthe clamping nut the partsare clamped together and the task is quicklyand accurately completed; There is no danger of the wlre belng tamperedlink comes in contact with the with or injured because even in theuppermost position of the float y nothing projects outside of the guidetube. Referring to the drawings Fig.1 is an elevation of the completeequipment with a portion of the housing broken away to show the wirewith the float in its lowered position.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the face of the indicator head. v

Fig, 8 is a section on the line of Fig.

2 through the indicator head and the attaching devices of the actuatingmeans with the indicator showing the shaft as having been operatedagainst the ten 'on of thespring means.

Fig. 4 is a'section on the line4---et of Fig- I we 3. F 1g.

.5 is a section on the line 5---5of Fig.

construction of the indicator head.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of: the split clamping collar carried by theindicator head. i t

Figure 7 is a section taken on the line 7-,-7 of Figure 3 and looking inthe direction indicated. i

, Referring to the drawings in detail:

1 is a float of cork or similar materialpiw oted at 2 upon afloat arm 3,which is mount edonone end of abell crank 4-; This bell crank is pivotedat 5 to a suspending bracket (3. The other end of the bell crankslidingly engages at with a lever 8, which. is also pivoted on thebracket 6. as at {9. This bracket 6 is suspended from a tank plate 10,as shown at 10 The upper end of the lever 8 projects into a housingmounted on the which housing is designated 11. The end of the wire 12 isconnected to the upper end of this lever 8, as at 13. To the housing isconnected the outside flexible cas- 3 illustrating in detail the rackand pinion ing or housing 14' and the inside flexible casing 15. Thesecasings are to both guide and protect the wire 12. This wire is. veryflexible, but. very strong, and fits relatively closely within theinside casing 15.

The indicator end of this outside casing 14 is crimped as at 16 andextends into a guide tube 17 which projects beyond the end of'theoutside casing 1-1, a distance suflicient for the following purpose. Aguiding link.

18 is inserted in the tube 17 at the end of the casing 14, and isconnected at one end to the wire 12, asshown at 19; The totalmovement ofthe: wire and the link to indicate whether the tankis empty or full willnot be suili cient to project the end of the link beyond the guide tube17 so that-it is never possible for the linkor the wire to becometwisted, mashed, or damaged, as always protected by either the guidetube-17 orthe flexible casings.

In Fig. 3 the parts are shown in full tank position. Before attachmentto the indicator head theoperator may, if he so desires, insert a wirehook into the opening; 20

of the actuating link, and by moving the link and wire can tell bythewire and the sound whether the float is restingon the bottom of thetank when the piston isinits fully retreated position, as in Fig. 3;Havis for the operator to insert the guide tube 17 into a split tube orcollar 21', at the end of the guide tube. This collar 21 is mounted in,one wall 28 ofthe indicator housingwhichis cut away, as shown at 21";The collar 21 has a groove 21 adapted to receive the casing Wall 28. Anumber of slots 22' arecut in the end of this split tube to per mit itto be collared on the guide tube and clamped thereon. A collar threadedon the guide tube, such as 23, serves'the purpose of clamping the splittube upon the guide tube. The extent to. which theguide' tube isnecessarily inserted in the split tube is determined" by the actuatingpiston head coming. in contact with the head 24of theyactuating; rack25, when the dial 26 of the indicator head is registering zero-and whenthe float is on the floor of the tank. At such a time theindicator willregister zero and the left hand end of the actuating link will be.v inengagement with the actuating head2t. The parts can' then be clampedtogether.

Theactuating rack 25 which is provided with a head 25 is guided at oneend by the head 24 and the otherend by a guiding lip QT'WhiCh is struckup in an indicator housing 28. The medial position of the rack 25bothelements are mg ascertained this condition, the next step passesthrough and is guided by a collar 29 inserted in the split tube 21. Thehousing 28ris provided with depressed portions 30 and 31 in which theends of a shaft 32 are journaled' upon which is mounted a pinion 33engaging with rack teeth 3%. and rotated thereby.

This results in rotating the shaft 32 with it'the drum 26 of theindicator which is fixed thereon. Numerals appear on the face of thedrum as at 35, which are visible to the observer through the opening 36in a. plate 37" beneath the glass 38, which is carried by a ring 39,which is threaded in the indicator housing 28.

Inorder to maintain this indicator mechanism at zero position a helicalspring 40 is mounted upon the rack 25 with one end engaging the head24'and the other end the collar 29 so that this spring constantly tendsto resistthe return of the wire and actuating link to: Zeroposition asit is moved thereby by the float and also tendsto resist the movement ofthe indicator to zero position. These parts are suitably aligned by theend 4 1- of the rack projecting into the opening 20 of the head of theactuating piston.

The indicator head itself is attached to the dash board of anautomobile, for instance, by the usual U-clamp 42 carried on bolts 43.

a n d It will be understood thatI desire to comprehend Within myinvention such modifications as may be fairly embraced within it, and asmay be found necessary in adapting it to various conditions in the artin the course of the application of the invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by LettersPatent, is-:-

In a gauge equipment, an indicator consisting ofan open-ended housing, ashaft journalledtherein, an indicator drum on said shaft, means forclosing the open end of the housing and constructedto expose a portionofsaiddrum torender readings on the drum visible, a rack, means struckup from said housing wall to guide and support said rack, a split tubecarried by saidhousing into which one end ot said rack projects, springmeans put under tension when said rack is moved 'iir one direction,whereby the rack may return to its initial position when the tension ofthe spring means is released, and means on said shaft for operativelyengaging with said rack.

In testimony whereof, I ailix mysignature.

EDWARD V. RIPPI'NGILLE.

